What Is Gothic? - An Exploration of Youth Culture
Michelle Wauchope
Rhetoric and Reasoning Report sem1. 1996
Written during first year Bachelor Of Arts in Professional Writing and Communication, University of South Australia.


Contents

Abstract

The Gothic subculture has been in existence for around sixteen years, making it one of the most enduring of youth cultures. However, what Gothic really is about is rarely known outside "the scene".

This is due in part to the non-confrontational nature of the sub-culture, as well as mainstream media's omission to report on things and events pertaining to the Gothic subculture.

As with any youth culture, music and fashion are major contributors to the Gothic identity and is what attracts most people to the scene. Unlike many youth cultures, Gothic also has a strong literature base.

Behind the music and fashion, is a specific fascination with the darker side of life. The people in the scene share a similar outlook on life, as well as often having similar past histories.

While the subculture started in England, there are now people all over the world who consider themselves Gothics. In Australia there is a particularly active scene.

Contents

Introduction

While the phenomena of youth cultures has often been explored, both in the media and in various cultural and psychological studies, little research has been conducted on the Gothic subculture. As a result, very little is known about what constitutes Gothic.

The Gothic subculture is one of the most misunderstood of youth cultures, often referred to as a "cult" and blamed for youth suicides. While it does celebrate horror, the darker side of life and often Gothics have a blatant disregard for organised religion, this is a matter of personal choice and not a form of "cult" or peer pressure.

There are rules and modes of behaviour within the scene, however what they are is hard to define. There is frequent discussion about "what constitutes Gothic" by the Gothics themselves, but no-one has come up with any concrete answers.

This report discusses where and how the Gothic subculture started, and gives a general view of what constitutes Gothic. It also explores common misconceptions and highlights problems connected with the subculture. Particular reference is paid to the Australian scene.

This report is not intended to be seen as a definitive source for what is Gothic, nor is it a psychological study of the Gothic culture or the people in it. It is merely a collation of ideas, notes, and personal musings for interested people.

The information gathered has come from books, newspaper articles, internet web-sites and newsgroups as well as from interviews and theories held by the author. It should be noted however, that sources are scarce for this particular topic.

Contents

1.0 Gothic - what is it?

1.0 Gothic - What is it?
1.1 The History of the Gothic Subculture
1.1.1 the batcave

The Gothic movement can be linked to a single London nightclub called the Batcave, which opened in 1981. It sprang up from what remained of the punk scene and as such, many bands now synonymous with Gothic were first known as Punk. The Batcave fostered these bands as well as their audience. This first wave of Goths took the elements of punk that they liked; the spirit of rebellion, the shocking edge of fashion and music , a high pleasure principal and a penchant for all things black.

These original "Gothics" were reputedly so named by NME and Sounds. These music magazines took the term from Siouxie Sioux (of the Banshees) who used it to describe the new direction her punk band was taking. The pop journalists used it as a pigeonhole for many bands around at the time, actually covering three separate styles of music with the label, as they were only occupied with the look of the Gothics.

The fans of these bands used elements of punk as a statement, adopting bondage and fetish wear as well aspects of German expressionism, but along the way adopted various regalia from the Victorian era, blending the term "Gothic" with Gothic Literature. Now the two are synonymous. Romanticism and beauty became juxtaposed with the shock value of punk.

The Batcave was the crucial meeting point, the place to dress up and be seen. It encouraged the narcissistic and elitist attitude carried by most Gothics over the rest of society, but it must also be seen that this attitude is a feature of most youth cultures.


1.1.2 to the present day

The line between the "old Goth" ideals and "new Goth" is not a distinct one as the two existed in tandem during the early eighties.

In the second wave, the connection with Gothic literature became the driving force. The original idea of fun was replaced with intelligent introspection. The Gothic subculture became a refuge for the freaks of society, the people who valued escapism and angst more than reality and anger. These new pale-faced, black-swathed, hair-sprayed night dwellers used the look to scare and repel, to avoid acceptability. It was this new breed of Gothics that elicited the most derision and they were painted as morbid and maudlin. This image set up links between suicide and "other evils" with the subculture in the minds of "normal" people.

Recently there has been another wave of ideas, this time called "Dark Wave". It has taken the separate genres of Industrial and Techno music and fused it with the dark elements of Gothic.

"Dark Wave" has also been adopted by many as an alternative label to "Gothic", avoiding the negative connotations the word has come to represent.

Literature has also received new lifeblood with many techno-culture books being popular reading, as well as the propagation of "net.goths" (Goths on the internet). Goth debates thrive on the Internet, as it is one of the few mediums that such debate can flourish. In the real world, debate on Gothic is taboo. The unwritten rule is if you don't know if something is Gothic or not, then you can't be Gothic. Also there is a reluctance for Gothics to proclaim themselves as such, or to talk about the subculture, creating a paradox.

While other subcultures that emerged at the same time as Gothic, such as New Romantic and New Wave, have come and gone, the movement continues to replenish itself with fresh blood of new bands and fans.

The importance placed on the music and nocturnal events has produced club nights at which those original Batcave patrons would not feel out of place.


1.2 Common misconceptions

The Gothic subculture is small in comparison to other more mainstream youth cultures, such as rave and hip hop. The resulting lack of media coverage, coupled with the unusual dress and behavioural standards of the Gothics, has created many misconceptions about the subculture.

"Supposedly" Gothic guys are all gay because they wear makeup and nail polish. While the scene encourages androgyny and makes no distinction between gay and straight, mainstream society is not as open minded. Consequently, male Gothics are often the targets of homophobic attacks, both verbal and physical.

Gothics are apparently all Satanists. This misconception can be attributed to the wearing and idolising of religious and pagan symbols and imagery, as well as the rejection of organised religion. What the "normal" people fail to understand is that Satanism is also an organised religion, and thus just as likely to be rejected by the Gothic community. More importance is placed on individual strength; structured religion is looked down upon as a emotional crutch for the weak. The rejection of organised religion is usually made through disillusionment with hypocritical religious people.

The Gothic love of introspective music, penchant for dark imagery and romanticising of death, is often blamed for teenage suicide. This is a reactionary response and a fallacy. It ignores many other important factors involved in suicides, pushing the blame on a perceived "influence" rather than the problems within the victim's life. It also ignores the fact that many people gain stability and friends from the Gothic culture, and are out to have fun rather than withdrawing into themselves.

Gothics allegedly lead a promiscuous lifestyle. Many "normals" go to Gothic nightclubs believing that "Goths are easy". Monogamy is preferred by most Goths, although other relationship types are more accepted within the subculture than elsewhere. This presumption of sexual promiscuity is based more on the body worshipping style of dress many Goths adopt. Bondage and fetish wear, while often worn for their shock value and "kinky-ness", are certainly not seen as obscene or inappropriate clothing.

Vampirism is another trait attributed to Gothics. While some may involve themselves in drinking blood, either their own or a partner's, most Gothics are merely interested in the erotic romance embodied by the vampires in Gothic literature. Within the Gothic scene, people who claim to be Vampires are treated as fools and jokes.



Contents

2.0 Gothic and the media

2.1 The Music Press

Originally the popular music press covered the genre of Gothic music quite extensively, the original Goth bands being touted as new, special and different.

However as the term "Goth" gained it's stigmatism, less bands claimed to be Goth as well as less bands actually being Goth. The genre of Gothic music went back underground.

Now even the Goth bands that make the top 40 music charts or have a large enough following to support international tours rarely gain mention in the music press, unless it's in the form of "just another one of those dirge-ey Goth bands"

2.2 Popular Press
2.2.1 reporting

Often sensationalised and badly researched, the few reports on Gothic culture which do filter through to the popular media, perpetuate the stereotyped images of Gothics.

Other articles interview people who claim to be Goth, but have no idea about the topic. For example, in the article "In Goth they trust" the author conducted an interview with a DJ "with a good deal of experience" who claims that Gothics now listen to "death metal doom, grindcore, black metal, Satan war metal, thrash/speed and Lusitanian metal."

While a few Gothics may listen to this type of music, it is Metal and not Gothic. Although there are a couple of bands which blur the boundaries, many Gothics emphasise the difference between "Metal-heads" and Gothics. To say that all Gothic listen to this type of music and, furthermore, say that metal is Gothic, is ludicrous.

2.2.2 the concept of moral panic

The concept of "moral panic" is not a new one in psychology. It refers to when a specific culture sees a minority group as posing a threat to their way of life. The threat posed is much smaller, if existent at all, to the imagined one. Youth cultures, from the "Teddy-boys" to Punks and Gothics have often been the victims of moral panic outbursts.

Satanism and suicide are the issues that usually cause moral panic towards the Gothic subculture. The popular image is that the Gothic "cult" (see appendix i) takes young, supple minds and bends them to either devil worship or contemplating suicide.

In America moral panic has reached exceedingly high levels. One Gothic boy in the southern states was doused in petrol and set alight, his assailants saying:" We're gonna burn the devil outta you". Teenagers wearing black at school had letters sent to their parents warning of "possible occult involvement".

Another moral panic occurred in New Zealand in 1988. Three teenage boys all committed suicide within a few months. Their only common link was that they all listened to "depressive music, especially The Cure". The media played on this connection, implying that "the music made them do it". While the concept of subversive music is not new, this time it brought negative attention to the Gothic subculture through the media's deliberate reinforcement of stereotypical images.

Moral panic is often caused by popular media playing on stereotypes to create a sensational story and sell more papers. Due to poor media coverage in other instances, it arouses fear amongst the community due to ignorance.



Contents

3.0 Fashion, Music and Literature




3.1 Fashion There are many "looks" in the gothic subculture (appendix ii), but black is by far the dominant colour in the Gothic wardrobe. While it is a colour symbolising death and mourning as well as "evil", it also has the practical side of being easy to coordinate. Other colours make an appearance more as an accessory. These are usually jewel colours or plain white.

Fabric plays an important role in clothes. Rich fabrics - silk, satin, velvet, embroidery borrowed from Victorian or Medieval imagery - as well as P.V.C and leather from the Punks are just as important as the colour or cut of the clothes.

Gothic makeup is often similar to that of the German expressionists, with heavy eyeliner and a white pancake base. The need to be pale leads many Gothics to shun sunlight, this in turn adds fuel to the perceptions of vampirism and of general mystique.

Accessories play an important role. Boots, collars, studs and chains tend to be favourites. Lots of silver jewellery is a must, bracelets, earrings, necklaces and rings, either of a religious or pagan nature.

Although the "look" plays an important role both as a form of identification and as a personal statement, many Goths also denounce them as superficial trappings and not a true indicator of a "real" Gothic. This concept is in direct opposition to the "old Goth" way of thinking.


3.2 Music
3.2.1 in the past

Pop journalists used the term "Gothic" as a label to pigeonhole many bands around at the time, actually covering three separate styles of music with the label. These have been described as Pop-Goth, Punk-Goth and Ambient-Goth, or, alternatively, New Wave, Gothic Rock and Swirly-Girlie music.

The Cure, Depeche Mode and Soft Cell are all well known bands and epitomise the Pop-Goth style. These bands developed in tandem with more mainstream early 80s synthesiser bands like Duran Duran. This style of music has greater commercial appeal than other forms of Gothic music, and as such has gained wider acceptance among the non- Gothic community. Many Gothics who consider themselves "hardcore" do not accept these bands, claiming that they are sell- outs to the mainstream. Despite these objections, the Pop- Goth bands have contributed a great deal to Gothic culture. Indeed, one visit to a Gothic nightclub will reveal that many Gothic males idolise and imitate Robert Smith, the lead singer of the Cure.

Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Specimen and the Sisters of Mercy are all variants of the Punk-Goth style. The former two bands had been in existence since the late seventies, using horror-film imagery as well as more romantic imagery in their lyrics and stage presence. These two bands alone have been credited with much of the ideas behind the Goth movement, although the bands themselves have since disbanded, and the individual members have moved onto other projects. The Damned was also a punk-goth band in many regards, capturing the humorous nature of Goth music.

Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins and Bel Canto, plus other bands on the 4AD and Projekt labels can all be seen as part of the Ambient-Goth style. Less importance is placed on the song and more on the atmosphere created by the music and vocal harmonies. Female voices combine with acoustic guitar and old- world instrumentation and provides the perfect juxtaposition to the more aggressive sound of the punk- goth.

Early Gothic music, as well as a lot of the newer music, makes extensive use of prominent repetitive base lines, a simple dance beat often produced by a drum machine, distorted guitar and synthesised orchestral instruments. Bizarre vocals were often used, or the other extreme, ethereal melodic vocals. Lyrics were given a very important role. The direct antithesis of Gothic music is the alpha-male approach of "cock-rock".


3.2.2 present day trends

While originally the home of Gothic music was England this is no longer the case. More music is being produced in countries like Australia, America and Germany. It can also be seen as a reflection on the scenes in these countries; they all have a healthy structure and club scene.

Gothic music has undergone such extensive growth that the look and style of Gothic music can no longer be viewed as one entity (appendix iii).

Goths and Goth music is taking an increasingly industrial/ electronic angle. Many Gothics profess to be fans of bands such as NIN, Ministry and Einsturzende Neubauten. Industrial is the only new medium for expressing anger, filling the gap that Punk had done for the generation before. Industrial music features heavy rhythms, so it is no wonder that this music has brought many new faces into the scene as well as being the predominant music genre in many Gothic clubs.

Alongside Industrial is a proliferation of "clone" bands. Little originality has appeared in many bands, preferring to emulate the success of old favourites by copying their sound and style. Rosetta Stone, often derisively referred to as Rosetta Clone, have released two major albums, one sounding like Sisters of Mercy, the other like NIN. Yet this band has a large following.

The main feature which Industrial, Punk-Goth and Pop-Goth have in common, besides the dark imagery, is the music's danceability, made essential by the club environment, often the only place where the tracks will be heard. While many Goths spend a lot of money on music, they are rarely affluent.

The other stream, the swirly girlie, is also a continuing force. Love Spirals Downwards, Switchblade Symphony and many German bands have taken this style to new heights. This tends to be music for contemplation, and many of these bands can be found in private CD collections.



3.3 Literature

Gothic literature is not tied down to a particular time period. While it proliferated throughout the Victorian era, the devices and imagery used in that time period are still being used in "Modern Gothic". Many works considered as being Gothic literature also existed long before the Romantic age.

Authors such as Edgar Allen Poe, Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, Kafka and H.P. Lovecraft are still widely read, as are poets and philosophers such as Baudelaire, Byron, Shelley and Nietzsche.

New style texts, film etc, has also always been interested in the Gothic genre. Early silent film makers explored the concepts of industrial alienation and other gothic imagery, often taking the novels of the Victorian Gothic to the screen. Nosferatu, Dracula and similar films are good examples of this. Many more recent films also exploit the Gothic style, director Tim Burton makes films in this style, and the recent remakes of the popular Gothic novels "Dracula" and "Frankenstein" prove that the genre is still alive in film.

New novelists read avidly by Gothics include Anne Rice, Storm Constantine, Poppy Z. Brite and Clive Barker. Science fiction, fantasy and horror all have their cross overs into the Gothic genre. The Gothic novel is neither anachronistic nor retrospective, nor is it losing its vitality and relevance to the modern world. The reading list for Gothics is extensive, and is being added to constantly.



Contents

4.0 Gothic Philosophy




There is no concrete rules as to behaviour or philosophy. The Gothic subculture is a dynamic structure, fusing the best bits from many past cultures with current ideas. It is for this reason that Gothic is just as relevant today as it was sixteen years ago.

A few general concepts can be stated with some reasonable authority. Open mindedness is prized above else. Gothics consider themselves "above" normal society and pride themselves on tolerance, intelligence and understanding. Whether or not they maintain this standard is debatable. Often Gothics become disdainful and intolerant of outsiders and petty-minded as to the "standards of Gothic".

A celebration of the mind is also often encountered. Education is considered important, and even those who haven't undertaken a tertiary studies are often verbose on the topic of literature. Perhaps because of this, there is less drug use than in other youth cultures. This is not to say it doesn't exist, just that the people who take them and the quantities involved tend to be less when compared with current youth cultures such as "Rave" or "Indy-kids".

Sense of humour is a must, despite popular belief. The ability to laugh at ones self, as well as see the absurdities within the scene, tends to create a black humour rarely found elsewhere.

Finally, what Gothic today is all about is finding solace and beauty in what most of Western society fears. The horror images of Industrial wasteland and the Victorian Gothic novels, the music both evil and romantic, the use of religious and pagan imagery, these all highlight the dichotomy of enchanting and repulsive found in every facet of the Gothic culture.




Contents

5.0 The Gothic subculture in Australia


Although England is the undisputed birthplace of the Gothic movement, Australia had it's own Gothic womb in Melbourne's Crystal Ballroom. Like the Batcave, it fostered bands and patrons, who, at time considered themselves punks, but in hindsight concede that they were what is now known as Gothic.

Stories abound about the disillusioned student lining the walls with books and intently discussing pre-raphelite art or the latest art-house film, or preening their narcissistic selves in front of the large gilt mirror at one end of the room.

The biggest band at the Crystal Ballroom was The Boys Next Door. The lead singer, the now famous Nick Cave, affected the Gothic look of androgyny, and the bands music had the raw edge of punk combined with the dark edge of Gothic.

The scene was very much centred in Melbourne, most bands either originating or basing themselves in the Victorian capital. Contemporaries of The Boys Next Door include the lesser known Dorian Grey, Crime and the City Solution and Laughing Clowns, but these bands all disbanded after a few short years.

After this first wave, little music has arisen until recently. Australia is considered to have some of the best Industrial and Gothic music internationally. While this may say more about the state of the subculture in other countries, it does show a proliferation of the scene here.( see appendix iv)

Among the rising stars of the Australian Gothic scene are such bands as Ikon from Melbourne, Big Electric Cat from Sydney and Ostia from Brisbane. All these bands have received label offers from overseas, yet most Australians, even those that believe they know a lot about Australian music wouldn't know who these bands were.

While Melbourne again seems to be the "Goth Capital" of Australia, this is not to say that the scene is not strong in the other states. Most have a Goth music outlet, a suitable clothing store, a club, a few bands running around under the Gothic banner, and possibly even a fanzine.

The scene in Adelaide can also be seen to be undergoing a revival of sorts. There are currently two rival clubs and at least six bands that are currently practising with the view to playing live over the next couple of months.



Contents

Conclusion





The strength of the Gothic subculture lies in the force of it's rebellion against mainstream society, and it attracts those people who feel alienated by society, giving them an identity and sense of belonging.

Due to the lack of interest from the media and society, a self sufficient Gothic society has arisen parallel to mainstream culture. This underground society provides its citizens with all the trappings of culture: specialised clubs, clothing and record shops, magazines to promote the culture and the music, and places for social gatherings such as pubs and cyberspace newsgroups. While there is no single organisational structure for Gothic events, this puts the onus on individuals to motivate themselves, and promote and organise their own fun. This concept is in direct contrast to the commonly perceived image of Gothics as "gloom and doom bedroom dwellers."

The future of the subculture, especially here in Australia, looks promising. The stigma attached to the label "Gothic" is beginning to lose it's sting and the amount of good, original Gothic music being produced is increasing.

Some people use the Gothic subculture as a direct form of rebellion, others as a transient step to "something else". For a handful it is a way of life, a set of beliefs and ideas. The only possible threat to the cohesion of the subculture would be too much mainstream interest and the possible popularisation of things Gothic. However, unless this happens, we can safely say " Gothics never die, they just look dead."



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